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BILL NUMBER:S1570A

TITLE OF BILL: An act to amend the education law, in relation to enacting the "Place a Child in Every School Seat Act of 2012"

PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL: To establish a public awareness and education campaign on the importance of earning a high school degree, and create an incentive program to improve school attendance by offering awards based on best overall attendance and/or most improved attendance, under the direction of the Education Department with the advice and consent of the Board of Regents.

SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS: Adds a new section 3205-a to the education law to provide for a public awareness and education campaign on the importance of earning a high school degree, and to create an incentive program to improve school attendance statewide.

JUSTIFICATION: Studies have demonstrated a clear link between absenteeism in school and juvenile delinquency. According to the National Conference of State Legislatures, one study of high school dropouts showed that 80 percent had been chronically absent from school in the previous school year. There are widespread public benefits to improving school attendance, including reduced crime, higher earning potential by high school graduates, and greater civic engagement. Several states have adopted innovative programs to improve school attendance, including pizza parties, ice cream socials, and even financial rewards. New York should not "bribe" its students to attend school, but we should provide additional motivation in an appropriate manner.

This bill directs the State Education Department to establish a public awareness and education campaign on the importance of earning a high school degree, and to create an incentive program to improve school attendance by offering awards based on best overall attendance and/or most improved attendance. The nature of these incentives would be decided by the Department with the advice and consent of the Board of Regents and should appeal to school children in all parts of the state and in all income brackets.

Text

STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
1570--A
2011-2012 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 10, 2011
___________

Introduced by Sens. OPPENHEIMER, PARKER -- read twice and ordered print-
ed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Education --
recommitted to the Committee on Education in accordance with Senate
Rule 6, sec. 8 -- committee discharged, bill amended, ordered
reprinted as amended and recommitted to said committee
AN ACT to amend the education law, in relation to enacting the "Place a
Child in Every School Seat Act of 2012"
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "place a
child in every school seat act of 2012".
S 2. The education law is amended by adding a new section 3205-a to
read as follows:
S 3205-A. "PLACE A CHILD IN EVERY SCHOOL SEAT ACT OF 2012"; PUBLIC
AWARENESS OF PUBLIC SCHOOL ATTENDANCE; INCENTIVES TO IMPROVE ATTENDANCE.
1. THE DEPARTMENT IS HEREBY DIRECTED TO ESTABLISH A PUBLIC AWARENESS AND
EDUCATION CAMPAIGN THAT INCLUDES, BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO, EMPHASIZING THE
BENEFITS OF ATTENDING SCHOOL AND EARNING, AT A MINIMUM, A HIGH SCHOOL
DIPLOMA, AND THE POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES RELATED TO DROPPING OUT OF
SCHOOL. SUCH PUBLIC AWARENESS AND EDUCATION CAMPAIGN SHALL BE DIRECTED
AT MINORS WHOSE ATTENDANCE AT SCHOOL IS REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SECTION
THIRTY-TWO HUNDRED FIVE OF THIS PART AND AT THEIR PARENTS OR GUARDIANS
AND SHALL UTILIZE A VARIETY OF MEDIA SUCH AS, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, TELE-
VISION, BILLBOARDS, RADIO, AND INTERNET.
2. THE DEPARTMENT IS HEREBY DIRECTED TO CREATE AN INCENTIVE PROGRAM TO
IMPROVE STUDENT ATTENDANCE REQUIRED PURSUANT TO SECTION THIRTY-TWO
HUNDRED FIVE OF THIS PART. INCENTIVES SHALL BE DEVELOPED WITH THE ADVICE
AND CONSENT OF THE BOARD OF REGENTS AS TO AN APPROPRIATE BUT MOTIVATION-
AL INCENTIVE THAT WILL APPEAL TO STUDENTS IN ALL PARTS OF THE STATE AND
IN ALL INCOME BRACKETS. THE DEPARTMENT IS ENCOURAGED TO DEVELOP INCEN-
TIVES DIRECTED AT STUDENTS SPECIFICALLY SO AS TO MOTIVATE EXCITEMENT AND

EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05296-02-2

S. 1570--A 2

ENTHUSIASM FOR ATTENDANCE. SUCH AN INCENTIVE PROGRAM AND/OR AWARDS SHALL
BE BASED ON A DISTRICT'S OVERALL ATTENDANCE OR MOST IMPROVED ATTENDANCE
AS A PERCENTAGE OF THE STUDENT BODY FROM THE PREVIOUS YEAR. INCENTIVES
MAY BE AWARDED TO MORE THAN ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN EACH SCHOOL YEAR.
3. THE DEPARTMENT IS DIRECTED TO MAKE A GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO SEEK
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND/OR PRIVATE RESOURCES TO SUPPLEMENT APPROPRIATED
FUNDS TO DEVELOP THE PROGRAMS CREATED PURSUANT TO SUBDIVISIONS ONE AND
TWO OF THIS SECTION.
S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.

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